Who can resist those big puppy dog eyes and that waging tail begging your for just a little morsel of your food? Can a treat or a few scraps from your plate really harm them? Well, that depends on what it is and what’s in it. A lot of foods, such as fruits and vegetables, that humans digest just fine can make your pup very sick, or cause severe health problems.

So before giving your dog foods that you crave, have a quick read of this list we’ve put together to learn which foods are detrimental to your dogs health some of them may even surprise you.

Xylitol

Sweets, chewing gum, toothpaste, baked goods, some peanut butters, and commonly diet(or low-fat) foods are sweetened with xylitol. It can cause your dog’s blood sugar to drop and can also cause liver failure in the long term. Early symptoms include vomiting, lethargy, and co-ordination problems. Eventually, your dog may have seizures. Liver failure can happen within just a few days. So if you’re concerned, always check the ingredients list BEFORE sharing with your pupper.

Avocado

Avocados, have something called persin. It’s fine for people who aren’t allergic to it, but too much might be poisonous to dogs. If you grow avocados at home, keep your dog away from the plants. Persin is in the leaves, seed, and bark, as well as the fruit.

Alcohol

This should really go without saying but here’ s why you shouldn’t give your dog alcohol. Alcohol has the same effect on a dog’s liver and brain that it has on people. But it takes a lot less to hurt your dog. A small amount of little beer, liquor, wine, or food with alcohol can be bad. It can cause vomiting, diarrhea, co-ordination problems, breathing problems, coma, even death. And the smaller your dog, the worse it can be.

Onions and Garlic

This one always seems to surprise people, onions and garlic -powdered, raw, cooked, or dehydrated can kill your dogs red blood cells, causing anemia. That’s even the onion powder in some baby food. A rare small dose is probably OK. But eating a lot just once or can cause poisoning. Look for signs like weakness, vomiting, and breathing problems.

Caffeine

Caffeine can be fatal. Watch out for coffee and tea, even the beans and the grounds. Keep your dog away from cocoa, chocolate, colas, and energy drinks. Caffeine is also in some cold medicines and pain killers. If you think your dog may have had caffeine, watch for restlessness, fast breathing, and muscle twitches.

Grapes & Raisins

Grapes and raisins can cause kidney failure in dogs. And just a small amount can make a dog sick. Vomiting over and over is an early sign. Within a day, your dog can become sluggish and/or depressed.

Chocolate

No, dogs should not eat chocolate. Chocolate contains very toxic substances called methylxanthines, which are stimulants that stop a dog’s metabolic process. Even just a little bit of chocolate, especially dark chocolate, can cause diarrhea and vomiting. A large amount can cause seizures, irregular heart function, and even death. Do not have chocolate in an accessible location. If your dog does ingest chocolate, bring your dog to the vet.

Cheese

Dogs can eat cheese in small to moderate quantities. As long as your dog isn’t lactose intolerant, which is rare, but still possible in canines, cheese can be a great treat. While cheese contains little lactose when compared to whole milk, dogs with severe cases of lactose intolerance may have adverse reactions to cheese, even in small quantities. Observe your dog closely for signs of intestinal upset after feeding her cheese for the first time, and consult your vet with any questions you may have about adding cheese to your dog’s diet.

Cinnamon

Cinnamon is not OK for dogs. While cinnamon is not actually toxic to dogs, it’s probably best to avoid it. Cinnamon and its oils can irritate the inside of dogs’ mouths, making them uncomfortable and sick. It can lower a dog’s blood sugar too much and can lead to diarrhea, vomiting, increased, or decreased heart rate, and even liver disease. If they inhale it in powder form, cinnamon can cause difficulty breathing, coughing, and choking.

Ice cream

As refreshing of a treat as ice cream is, it’s best not to share it with your dog. Canines don’t digest dairy very well, and many even have a slight intolerance to lactose, a sugar found in milk products. Although it’s also a dairy product, frozen yogurt is a much better alternative. To avoid the milk altogether, freeze chunks of strawberries, raspberries, apples, and pineapples and give them to your dog as a sweet, icy treat.

Macadamia Nuts

Keep your dog away from macadamia nuts and foods that have macadamia nuts in them. Just six raw or roasted macadamia nuts can make a dog sick. Look for symptoms like muscle shakes, vomiting, high temperature, and weakness in his back legs.

Salty Foods

You may have heard that popcorn and pretzels are bad for dogs, but that’s really only the case if those foods are salted. Salt can cause a condition called sodium ion poisoning, not to mention excessive thirst or urination. Symptoms of eating too much salt might include vomiting, diarrhea, high body temperature, and seizures, in addition to bloat, as is the case with bacon. Salt can be fatal, so keep it to a minimum in the foods you share with your pupper.

Raw Meat, Fish, And Eggs

This one generally sparks some controversy, as many vets are seeing health benefits from their patients switching to raw meat diets, including healthier skin and coats, cleaner teeth, and easier digestion. Whereas other vets may recommend cooking raw food to kill off bacteria and parasites that can be harmful to dogs.

Most vets will discourage feeding raw meat to dogs, and salmonella and e. coli infections do happen in canines. Most of infections happen to dogs whose immune systems are already compromised, but it may be hard to tell if your dog’s immune system is completely healthy. Raw eggs have enzymes that can cause skin conditions in dogs, and raw fish can hide parasites that cause fatal diseases. There are risks to a raw diet that you need to weigh against the benefits before you decide to switch your dogs diet.

If you are planning to switch to a raw diet for your dog, you need to learn about proper preparation of the food so that the risk of bacterial infection can be minimized, learn about the appropriate amount to feed your dog, and take into account your dog’s overall health. Research and understand the risks and stay informed.

Fatty Meats

High fat foods like bacon, ham, or meat trimmings can cause pancreatitis in dogs. And since these meats are often high in salt content, too, they can cause upset stomachs and, in extreme cases, can cause dogs to drink too much water, leading to bloat, which can be fatal.

Yeast (on its own or in raw dough)

Just like yeast rises in bread, it will also expand and rise within your pup’s tummy. Make sure they don’t get any. While mild cases will cause gas, lots of farting, and discomfort – too much of it could rupture their stomach and intestines.

Corn (kernels)

his is a sure way to get your dog’s intestine blocked. The corn is digested, but the cob gets lodged in the small intestine, and if it’s not removed surgically, can prove fatal to your dog. Additionally, too much corn kernels can upset the digestive tract as well so be cautious to not feed too much.